The next night, Calzaghe – a 3-1 pre-fight favorite – suffered the early ignominy of being dropped in the opening round in front of some 14,213 fans. Hopkins felt that actually helped Calzaghe more than it did him.
‘I think that wasn’t beneficial to me because I think by doing that woke him up,’ said the future Hall of Famer. ‘If I’d dropped him later I’d have had a better shot but not earlier in the fight because I think that made him more aware of his style that he already brings to the table anyway.
‘He doesn’t have a reckless style, he’s busy and it’s the timing part and I think waking him up made him aware and it made him not get hit like that again, at least to the point where he’s on the ground.’
Calzaghe says of the knockdown: ‘Bernard Hopkins was a trickier than I thought he’d be. He brought the right gameplan, caught me with a right hand in the first round. I wasn’t hurt, flash knockdown, got back up and kept fighting.’
His son Conor was understandably emotional ringside. A lady put her hand on his shoulder to console him and tell him it would be OK. It turned out it was none other than pop legend Whitney Houston.
Many of the rounds were awkward to score and looking back both can appreciate the difficult job the judges had that evening.
‘It was just very frustrating,’ said the Welshman. ‘Bernard was so wily, old school fighter, all the tricks of the trade. He went defensive knowing I like people to come to me, so he fought a good gameplan and good fight.
‘The rounds could be close, I lost the first obviously, the second, third and fourth, to be honest were close, I knew I was chasing the fight, after six, seven rounds. I thought 10 was close but I thought I won most of the rounds other than that.
‘I was the one who forced the fight, Bernard was getting tired. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a [Jeff] Lacy or [Mikkel] Kessler fight. Styles make fights, it was messy and I think my workrate won the fight, I threw a lot more punches and forced the fight more.’
Calzaghe was awarded a split decision win: Chuck Giampa and Ted Gimza both sided with Calzaghe 116-111, 115-112 while the other judge, Adelaide Byrd, voted in Hopkins favor 114-113.
Hopkins (48-4-1, 32 knockouts) remembered there being a lot of close rounds but felt he did enough to win the fight.
‘I felt I pulled enough tight rounds where I won, being champion,’ said Hopkins. ‘I believe I did enough with the knockdown and I didn’t get knocked down myself and there was no blow out rounds. I think worse case scenario it should have been a split decision my way if the fight was close enough, there were some rounds I didn’t get the benefit of the doubt, he did.’
Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KOs) acknowledges it wasn’t a great fight.
‘I won the fight and I thought I won the fight but it was one of them things, neither of us really dominated the other one in any of the rounds. I outworked him in the second half of the fight, which I think is plain to see, thanks to my fitness and workrate. Styles can make it messy, he caught me with some good shots and he had some good times.
It wasn’t a great fight to watch but it was in my top couple of best wins because of the nature of the fight, coming from behind and fighting in Las Vegas against a future Hall of Famer, one of the best middleweight’s of all time and he turned out to be a great light heavyweight too.
‘I was 100 percent confident in my ability. I’d never lost [as a professional], I hadn’t lost since I was 17 [as an amateur]. Bernard was getting older but you see what he did afterwards he was still on top of his game. Winning that fight was one of the best things in my career.
The quick-fisted southpaw enjoyed a few drinks with Welsh actor Catherine Zita-Jones and singer Tom Jones, though he says it was largely low key and he returned to the villa the following day to spend time with his family.
A decade later both remain cordial when they see each other and have great respect for their one-time rival.
‘I remember seeing him at Amir Khan-Zab Judah,’ said Calzaghe. ‘He was great, as good as gold, full of respect. I’ve got respect as well, we had a picture and sat together and chatted at ringside.
‘We were in the ring beforehand, he said, ‘Let’s do a rematch?’ I was the businessman and said, ‘OK, 60-40, me’ and he was like, ‘We can negotiate.’ That was fun. We both said it tongue in cheek, laughing. I was never gonna come back.’
The Philadelphian concurs.
‘I respect Joe. I respect the father. I’ve got mad respect for him because at the end of the day he fought everybody, he didn’t duck anybody,’ Hopkins said. ‘I hope he stays healthy and when we meet again we’ll laugh and joke and take pictures. At the end of the day he’s my comrade and I’m pretty sure he’ll say the same thing about me.
‘To me [Calzaghe was] one of the greatest of all-time, he can break bread with anyone in any weight division.’
Hopkins went on to shock Kelly Pavlik later that year, gain revenge over Roy Jones Jr and become the oldest fighter to ever win a world title when he outpointed Ring/WBC champ Jean Pascal in their rematch. He lost to Chad Dawson but rebounded to win both the IBF and WBA titles before retiring in December 2016.
Calzaghe fought once more, again in America against another of the greats of his era, Jones Jr. Ring magazine online article, ‘Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe Recall Their Light Heavyweight Showdown 10 Years Later’
Hopkins fighting for place among greats: If Bernard Hopkins beats Oscar de la Hoya in which should be the richest non heavyweight fight in history early on Sunday, he will cement his place among the great middleweights of all time.
Hopkins is all that De la Hoya, the long-time Golden Boy of American boxing, is not: at 39, the Philadelphia streets still haunt his soul; he trusts only his immediate team – and a few years ago even fell out temporarily with the man who calls him a son, 76-year-old trainer Bouie Fisher …
In 2001, Hopkins knocked out Felix Trinidad to establish himself as the first undisputed middleweight champion since Sugar Ray Leonard. Daily Mail article 16th September 2004 Bob Mee
55) Joe Calzaghe Lost SD 12: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Joe Calzaghe 19 April 2008 Light Heavyweight Paradise Nevada [r1] … He [Hopkins] ran in with his head down … Calzaghe down on a perfect right hand shot … The best two adjustable fighters … Calzaghe is showing tremendous respect … [r2] … He [Hopkins] trains as hard as anybody … It’s Hopkins keeping Calzaghe from doing his thing … He’s [Calzaghe] making adjustments to Hopkins … It’s going to be a test of Joe Calzaghe’s will … [r3] … Calzaghe for having thrown 33 jabs and landed none … Body shots by Calzaghe … [r4] … Hopkins fighting off the ropes … [r5] … The numbers are beginning to favour Calzaghe … Calzaghe landed and good right and left hand … Calzaghe seems much more relaxed … [r6] … Calzaghe stalking Hopkins … landing more solidly, landing more consistantly … A flurry by Calzaghe … Good left hand counter by Bernard … [r7] … 57-56 Joe Calzaghe [co-commentator] … Three swing rounds … Calzaghe almost was knocked down again … Calzaghe should have won the round … Lederman gave the round to Hopkins … Calzaghe won the round … [r8] … Four punch flurry from Calzaghe … This shows you how quick Hopkins can be … Now showboating around the ring … [Hopkins landed 78, thrown 270; Calzaghe landed 140, thrown 451] … [r9] … Good straight left hand by Calzaghe … Another little flurry by Calzaghe … He’s [Calzaghe] still setting the tempo … Hopkins’s hands don’t seem to have the same zip … Lederman 86-84 Calzghe … [r10] … That did not seem like a big punch that would cause this kind of a reaction … Straight right hand by Hopkins … [r11] … Calzaghe backed Hopkins off in an exchange of flurries … Hopkins is claiming another low blow …Calzaghe will land more … [r12] … If someone needs a knockout it’s Hopkins … Good left hand by Kalzaghe … [Lederman 116 Calzaghe: 111 Hopkins] US HBO fight commentary
[8.7] JAKE LaMOTTA 106-83(30)-19-4: Bert Randolph Sugar - Raging Bull 1980 - Jake La Motta - Pete Hamill - Jake LaMotta: Boxing Legend TV -
He only went to the body because he had very fragile hands. Very small hands. Bert Randolph Sugar
He’d be training on water to keep 160. Bert Randolph Sugar
My hands. I got these small hands. I got little girl’s hands. Raging Bull 1980 starring Robert De Niro & Cathy Moriarty-Gentile & Joe Pesci & Nicholas Colasanto & Theresa Saldana & Mario Gallo & Frank Vincent & Bernie Allen & Frank Adonis et al, director Martin Scorsese
He ain’t gonna get a shot at that title, not without us he ain’t. ibid. Godfather
There’s no way I'm going down. I don’t go down for nobody. ibid. Jake
Fuck you! Fuck your mother! ibid. Jake to rozzers
I hypnotised myself that no-one could hurt me. Jake LaMotta
Determination. Heart. Will. Even in the fights that he did some business ... he still refused to go down. He would take the beating. Pete Hamill